Movie Quotes II: The BIG SPEECH

As I’ve mentioned before, I like two kinds of movies: movies about sports and movies about war. And I try to keep a mental rolodex of quotes from each because you never know when one will come in handy. For instance, starting in mid-August, I’ll be in my second year of coaching Mites football. Last year, I realized I’m not clever enough to come up with pre-game motivational speeches on my own. So this season I intend to lift them from movies whenever possible.

The best part of any sports/war movie is the pre-game/battle pep talk. Most of the greatest quotes in movie history come from such moments. The general/coach stands before the soldiers/players who are lined up on the battlefield/in the locker room and tells them why they’re about to go out and beat the ever-lovin’ crème filling out of the other guys.

My buddy Derek suggested that The Big Speech was invented by Mel Gibson in “Braveheart”…

William Wallace: “Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take away our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!”

…but in fact, it goes back to Shakespeare…

Henry V: “And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by from this day until the ending of the world but we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. Be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition, and gentlemen in England now abed shall think themselves acursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whilst any speaks, that fought with us upon St. Crispin's day!”

In some movies the Big Speech giver talks about sports like it was war, like in “Remember the Titans”…

Coach Boone: “This is where they fought the battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fighting the same fight that we are still fighting among ourselves today… You listen, and you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together right now on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed, just like they were. I don't care if you like each other of not, but you will respect each other. And maybe... I don't know, maybe we'll learn to play this game like men.”

…or “Patton.”

Gen. Patton: “When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, big league ball players, the toughest boxers. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn't give a hoot in hell for a man who lost and laughed. That's why Americans have never lost and never will lose a war, because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.”

Sometimes, you know your sending your boys out to get a can of whupass opened upon them, and you’ve got to get them psyched up anyway, like in “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King“…

Theoden: “ Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day... a red day... ere the sun rises! Ride now... Ride now... Ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending! DEATH!”

All: “DEATH!!!”

…or from the same movie…

Aragorn: “Hold your ground, hold your ground. Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day. This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!”

In football, like in war movies, holding the line is the hardest part…
Maximus: “Hold the line! Stay with me! If you find yourself alone, riding in the green fields with the sun on your face, do not be troubled. For you are in Elysium, and you're already dead! Brothers, what we do in life... echoes in eternity. At my signal, unleash hell.”- (Gladiator)

Never give you opponent too much respect…

Herb Brooks: “Great moments... are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here, tonight, boys. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game. If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine. But not this game. Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can! Tonight, WE are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players. Every one of you. And you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it.”- (Miracle)

It’s OK to talk smack, as long as you do it with style…

Henry V: “Therefore, you men of Harfleur,
Take pity of your town and of your people…
If not, why, in a moment look to see
The blind and bloody soldier with foul hand
Defile the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters;
Your fathers taken by the silver beards,
And their most reverend heads dash'd to the walls,
Your naked infants spitted upon pikes,
Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused
Do break the clouds, as did the wives of Jewry
At Herod's bloody-hunting slaughtermen.
What say you? Will you yield, and this avoid,
Or, guilty in defence, be thus destroy'd?”

Or…

William Wallace: “Lower your flags and march straight back to England, stopping at every home to beg forgiveness for a hundred years of theft, rape, and murder. Do this and your men shall live. Do it not, and every one of you will die today.”

Prayers are always good…

Dan Devine: “No one, and I mean no one, comes into our house and pushes us around…You already know this but this is the most important game of your lives, no excuses. Do the work. Our lady of victory.”

All: “PRAY FOR US!” -(Rudy)

And when trying to pump up a team, a Bible quote never fails. It didn't in "Hoosiers."

Preacher Purl: “With God of Heaven, it is all one. To deliver with a great multitude or a small company...And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen.”

Coach Norman Dale: “I love you guys.”

All: “TEAM!”